Changing into a Winner

With the Chicago Blackhawks winning the 2010 Stanley Cup, it’s intriguing to think about where they were just a few short years ago. I think one of the toughest jobs in marketing is convincing fans it's worth their entertainment dollar to come out to the stadium and cheer for a bad team. And the 2007 Blackhawks were a pretty bad team. They finished in 13th place in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League and were having trouble giving away tickets to games.

So what changed to make them so successful on the ice and in the stands? There was a fortunate convergence of a new management philosophy, better sports marketing and an improved product … along with a little luck. Rocky Wirtz took over as chairman and brought in John McDonough, who successfully sold hope to Chicago Cubs fans for more than 20 years, to help run the club. They put the team back on local TV, rebuilt bridges with past stars and courted fans with a summer convention.

The product on the ice also began to improve in 2007 when the Blackhawks won the draft lottery to get the first pick ahead of the Philadelphia Flyers, who had a worse record. That pick was used on Patrick Kane, who turned into a star player, and the rapidly improving team became more attractive to numerous free agents.

There are similar parallels in the business world. Hyundai is a good example in the automotive segment. They entered the USA market in 1986 with an undistinguished compact and stayed under the radar for many years. They made some steady progress, but the company’s cars really took off in 2009, one of the worst year’s for U.S auto sales, with an innovative marketing program.

The Hyundai Assurance Program, developed by then-marketing chief Joel Ewanick, offered a return guarantee for customers who lost their jobs. Hyundai improved its market share and has continued it momentum today. Meanwhile, Ewanick parlayed his marketing success into a job at GM, where he’ll see if he can work the same marketing magic on that struggling automaker.

The lesson from all of this is that whether you’re in the sports arena or business, bold steps can turn a loser into a winner. For more insights on the marketing innovation side of that equation, give me a call at 847.657.6011.